Friday, February 18, 2022

Shokz received and tested

Remember me?  The gal who waits to replace things until they break?

Remember Rubia?  The cat who gnawed through my headset wire?

Well, the replacement headset is here.  It's one of those bone conduction Shokz brand, bluetooth connects to whatever (in my case, the phone).  If I want a headset for the computer, I'll buy one especially for that.  The Shokz is for running.

Since I haven't been doing much running, and since I don't subscribe to Audible or music services, it was either call somebody to test it on a phone call, or be lazy and wait.  I waited.  Wednesday evening my son called me, and I wore them around the house, pacing while we talked.  I determined that a) I'm not crazy about how they fit over my right ear.  Yes, my ears are not even and symmetric!  Between the glasses bows and the headset, I get a rub.  I decided that b) I kind of like that feature, it will keep my phone calls short!  BUT, it will not be the headset I buy to go with long-term things like zoom calls on the computer!

Good news: or at least a break! 

I was flipping around for something to watch on TV, and tripped over today's news conference from the public health director.  Like everyone else I had seen the news after news after news of various states dropping their mask mandates.  Well, today, our own public health folks followed suit, and our directed health measures will be lifted a week before they expire... tonight at midnight.  Cases and hospitalizations have dropped, but are not really down to the low levels we enjoyed last May and June (seems like forever ago), but they are dropping the requirement.  Still recommending wear a mask if indoors and unable to keep distance.

Nevertheless, I had prescriptions to pick up today, and used the drive through.  I needed groceries, and used the curbside pickup with online order.  That turned into a comedy of errors, in that three departments worth of "stuff", all the refridgerables never made it to my trunk.  I called the store when I got home and discovered this, and they sent them out by door dash, so I had them within an hour.  And they gave me someone else's buttermilk... yuck!  

One interesting feature of the "mistakes" is that they don't want the mistakes back, so if I'm brave, I have ended up trying some new things, but this one was NOT a winner.  Ended up pouring it down the drain.

I did get brave enough to go inside the local drug store to pick out an Anniversary card for my son's GF's parents, who are coming up on 40 years soon.  That's one item (greeting cards) that's hard to order online.  You want to see what's available, feel its quality, etc.

I am hoping that this going down of the cases continues, and hoping for a break of the nature we saw last Spring and early Summer.  A couple of months worth would be nice!  I had just started to feel braver and do more things out and about when the Delta surge hit last August, and those of us who monitor could see it coming, so tamped down our own outings in July.

And just because... a photo of Carl

The daughter in love caught him peeking around with a sheepish look on his face.  

Who could resist that puppy face?  I asked her what he was hiding from... she didn't know, either.

Entertainment talk

I discovered in the early hours this morning that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 has begun streaming.  I am thrilled.  That is one of two series that got me started on Prime.  The other, Homecoming, and this one, were both recommendations from my son.  

In the budget, when the pandemic hit, some of these streaming things got added in while race fees and travel dropped out.  I  figured I'm paying the price of a movie ticket a month for Amazon Prime.  OK maybe a ticket AND popcorn now that they are raising the prices... but if I have a couple of shows a week that are worth paying for... I can justify it.

What is that movie that says you can't go a day without a good justification?

Enough from here... only the pep talk remains!

Love yourself and your body right where you are.  Listen to its needs, and don't forget that you might have to interpret the need for water, for rest, for exercise, just as you would for a child.  The weather fronts and my body haven't been friends this week, so I'm trying to hold on and be kind to myself.  Hope the same for the rest of you out there!

Life is good.  Spark on!

20 comments:

  1. Our masks have went away, but we're still going to wear ours. The other day when I was out I noticed most of the people still wearing theirs as well.

    I'm glad the headphones are working for you.

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    1. I'm not giving up the mask any time soon, either! Nor are the other "seniors" I have dealings with.

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  2. In no particular order:
    Dang, I would have taken your buttermilk! It's something I drank with Dad and I developed a taste for it's yogurt-like quality. However, it makes the softest bread!!!!

    I have Pandora on my phone. Free, with some commercials. Not much different than listening to the radio in the 60's.

    Headphones are annoying. I can't wear earbuds, they don't stay in.

    Carl is cute.

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    1. LOL... I haven't tried Pandora, sounds a lot like Spotify, which also has a "free with ads" feature. And playlists can be shared. I have seen some folks use "speakers" that do not involve earbuds OR headphones... on bicycles!

      I used to use Play Music on my android phone, the first one I had. I had downloaded the playlist I wanted to hear, burning several tunes from CD's I own onto the phone by way of the computer. But two phone upgrades ago, I lost that feature. Sigh. I haven't yet decided anything is that valuable to listen to, to justify (there I go again) spending the time to learn the next toolset!

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  3. The weather fronts and my sinus (and knee!) have been quarreling as well. Today I am thankful for over the counter medications that provide symptom relief!
    Oh, Carl is sooo cute.
    Thanks for the list of mis-heards the other day. I’ve started to notice more myself. Time for an ear appointment. Dragging my feet, though. What if it snows? And the car needs an appointment. And Benji has surgery March 3rd....and, and, and.....breathe. Wish the sun was up and I could run it off. Hey, the mini trampoline. Pardon me while I go jump it out 😆😆😆

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    1. Yes, I am still waiting on the second shoe of Winter, too. What if we get frozen rain? Worse than snow, but we've had so little snow everyone has forgotten how to drive on it, and it's already February!

      I woke up WAY too early on Saturday, then was nodding off at 9:30 a.m. Life's weird about now. BTW, found amazing YouTube channel with Friesen horses... a mare named Uniek (pronounce Unique!) whose foal was born dead... heartbreaking, but then they found a foal whose mother died... and gave him to her to foster... All this was taped months ago, the foals of the herd are already weaned now, but there is content over time. Awesome education for horse lovers who maybe (like me) aren't active horse owners!

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  4. With the blockage going on in Ottawa they cannot lift things all the way because then every protestor will think it was because of this occupation in Ottawa but we are slowly lifting things. I usually make Buttermilk Pancakes when I get it, I make a big batch and freeze them for breakfast in the future. My wireless headphones are the ones that cover the ears, I like keeping my ears covered especially in wind when walking.

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    1. I am not a pancake person, and only order them when out, and not all the time even then!

      I understand wanting to have covered ears, for warmth. As a runner, I want to be able to hear traffic, other runners, etc., so not having the ears covered is a benefit to me. So many options!

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  5. Glad you received your replacement headset wire. Very happy the Covid cases are finally going down. Awwww, look at sweet Carl. Enjoy the TV series. Thanks for the pep talk and have a beautiful weekend.

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    1. Hooray for falling case counts! Have a wonderful weekend where you are, too.

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  6. Love the pic of Carl looking like he just got away with something ;) !! I have been walking almost daily with my park buddies since before and during Covid....so blessed with the FL climate that allows me this opportunity! Have a lovely weekend!

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    1. He does have that slightly guilty look, doesn't he? Having that walking companionship really is nice. I should NOT complain about weather this Winter as we've kind of had Florida style weather most of it, and in Nebraska, too.

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  7. Buttermilk is a great addition to pancake batter or to use making biscuit dough. When the pandemic first started, I ordered everything for curbside pick-up, but got stuck when it came to cards. After much online searching, I found a box of 40 cards that I ordered from Etsy. Reasonable priced, each card has a different design and has more than met my need.

    Enjoy the tv series.

    Stay safe. Be well.

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    1. I thought about that, but I don't keep flour in the house, never make pancakes or biscuits unless it's a big holiday plan and I buy special for it... so, down the drain with the buttermilk, this time. And I so hate to waste!

      I am not a good card-sender. Terrible, in fact. So I'm making a special effort for this one.

      Stay safe, warm and well!

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  8. Well, glad you put your Shokz headset to the test.

    *SIGH* I know . Everyone is tired of the pandemic. ME included. But regardless of what changes the public health folks make, I am wearing the mask. Just not going to tempt fate.

    BUTTERMILK???? My Dad used to drink that. OMG, ick. The only thing I may use a little buttermilk for would be to marinade chicken or make pancakes, and that isn’t too often!

    Yes, I am hoping for a break, too. Our #’s are going down, but . . . by the #’s, still in the yellow caution zone.

    Awwww, that sheepish look usually means trouble! LOL At least w/Miss Lilly. It’s a question of what did you chew apart or otherwise destroy????

    I have to admit, Amazon Prime is an indulgence I am willing to spring for, and yes our prices went up, too. Last night we watched the Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Danny Kaye). Sooooo good. The night before it was Charade (Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau, James Coburn). I like it.

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    1. Love those old movies. I may have mentioned watching old Perry Mason episodes, and boy has life and expectations changed since the 1950's when they first came out! But for those of us who grew up in that era? In some ways, they are comforting!

      Yes, that is Carl's sneaky/ I'm sorry Grandma / Oops I knocked something down look, and it's just so precious. Make you want to scoop him up and hug him! Or it does me, anyway.

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  9. Priceless pic of Carl. Guilty expression like he has just been caught or playful expression like he wants to pick up a game of hide and seek.

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    1. Just melts my heart, that photo. Sweet little face!

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  10. Love the puppy pic...right now I continue masking. Caught a cold from my nephew - given also to my sister (his Mom) and my BFF. Amazingly light as colds go, yet here's the rub. We will continue to share 'things' so vigilance is essential.

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    1. Amen to the continuing to mask. Me, too. Some of those "colds" are in fact Omicron variant, and if you don't test, you won't know. Masks work against other kinds of respiratory illness, too, of course... so, good job!

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